Casey scores twice as Karlsruhe ties Bielefeld 2-2, is named "Player of the Week."

Ian Joy made his German debut, earning a yellow card and bloody nose.

By Harris King (in Bamberg, Germany)
SoccerTimes

(Tuesday, March 2, 2004) -- United States striker Conor Casey of Karlsruher SC was chosen as the 2Bundesliga "Player of the Week" after scoring two goals in a 2-2 draw over visiting Arminia Bielefeld Friday night.

Casey was robbed of a hat trick when another goal was incorrectly disallowed after the referee whistled him for a foul. Replays from several angles showed this not to be the case.

Casey's first goal was a header in the 68th minute off a cross from Milorad Popovic.

Seven minutes layer, Casey outran Bielefeld defender Petr Gabriel for a breakaway. Gabriel was able to slide and get his foot on the ball as Casey shot, but this only caused the ball to pop over the keeper's head before it rolled into the net.

Casey's eighth and ninth goals of the season were not enough for a victory because goalkeeper Thomas Walter allowed Bielefeld's equalizer to slip under his arms in the 81st minute for the 2-2 tie. Karlsruhe and Bielefeld remained tied for sixth place at 9-5-8 with 32 points.

In the 1Bundesliga, U.S. striker Clint Mathis continued his scoring ways Sunday, but Hannover 96 fell 3-1 to Hertha BSC Berlin in Germany's Bundesliga.

In the 67th minute, Mathis sent a curling rocket from just outside of the box into the top right corner of the net past diving goalkeeper Christian Fiedler for his fourth goal in five games, tying the match at 1-1.

However, an unforgivable defensive mistake by Hannover captain Kostas Konstantinidis allowed Giuseppe Reina to put Berlin ahead 2-1, two minutes before Marcelo Marcelinho iced the game for the visitors.

Hannover (6-10-6, 24 points) slipped to 13th in the league, just three points above the relegation zone while Berlin (5-10-7, 22) moved from 17th to 15th.

American Steve Cherundolo was back in the Hannover starting lineup after sitting out last week's game against Rostock and he put in a solid 90 minutes at right back. According to Kicker, he and Mathis were the two best Hannover players Sunday.

In the 2Bundesliga, VfL Osnabrück, playing without suspended captain, American midfielder Joe Enochs, did much right Sunday afternoon, but fell 1-0 to visiting Energie Cottbus and U.S. defender Gregg Berhalter.

Osnabrück was the better team, but was unable make the final pass or precision shot to find the net in front of 12,000 home fans.

Cottbus, which overall put in a less than stellar effort, was able to escape with three points off a fluke goal. Playmaker Laurentiu Reghecampf sent a free kick that caromed off the crossbar and subsequently hit the foot of the diving Osnabrück goalie Timo Ochs and wound up in the goal.

Reghecampf later received a red card as did Guido Spork of Osnabrück. Spork, who put both of his hands around Reghecampf's neck, has been suspended by the league for the next four games. Reghecampf is expected to only miss one game.

Berhalter was his usual solid self in the middle defense and was chosen by Kicker for the second time in three weeks as one of the top 11 for the weekend's 2Bundsliga games.

Osnabrück (5-12-5, 20) remains in last place in the 18-team league. "It is our duty to remain in the second division and we will do everything possible to make it happen." Enochs said before the game of his club's efforts to avoid relegation.

Cottbus (11-6-5, 38 points) remained in third place, equal on points with Rot-Weiss Oberhausen (11-5-5), but with one more game played. The two teams square off against each other next week in Cottbus. Both trail first-place FC Nurnberg by one point.

The German Regionalliga (third division) returned this weekend from a 10-week winter break and was greeted with snow in many parts of the country. As a result, half of the games were cancelled.

In Regionalliga Süd, Sportfreunde Siegen's trip to Schweinfurt 05 did take place, but Siegen would have been better served with a cancellation after a 5-1 defeat at the hands of fellow basement dweller Schweinfurt 05.

Siegen's only goal came from American John van Buskirk in the 69th minute, 12 minutes after he entered the game. Schweinfurt's keeper Manual Schoppel twice parried shots back to van Buskirk before he was finally able to head the ball over the goalie and into the net.

Teammate and fellow American Eric Lukin started in midfield for Siegen, but was ejected in the 64th minute after receiving his second yellow card.

In Regionalliga Nord, American Ian Joy signed an 18-month contract with the amateurs of Hamburg SV. The 5-foot-7 Joy was born in San Diego, but spent much of his youth in Scotland and Wales.

"Even though he isn't too big, he has Scottish toughness in his blood," Hamburg coach Thomas Doll remarked.

Joy, who is expected to play a defensive role for Hamburg, made his first official start in a 1-0 home victory over Eintracht Braunschweig on a goal from Milan Fukal in the 59th minute.

American striker Jacob Thomas started for Braunschweig. Both he and Joy went 90 minutes with Joy picking up a yellow card and a bloody nose in his debut.

Braunschweig had a chance at equalizing in the 66th minute, but Marc Arnold was unable to convert a penalty kick.

Harris King, an American from South Carolina, has lived in Germany for five years. He is a Business English lecturer at the University of Bamberg. E-mail Harris King.